That's often how college football recruiting goes these days, and National Signing Day earlier this week proved to be no exception.

The Alabama Crimson Tide put together yet another top-ranked recruiting class on Wednesday. It marked the fourth consecutive year and sixth time in the last seven years the Tide's recruiting class was considered the nation's best.

How does the Tide continue to stay on top?

Since Nick Saban was hired in 2007, he has turned the Crimson Tide into a household name by winning a trio of BCS National Championships, and it shows on the recruiting trail. Alabama no longer limits itself to the southeast when searching for talent, as the Tide consistently pulls in elite prospects from across the country.

Just take a look at our visual aid above. Alabama's 2014 recruiting class consists of 26 signees from 15 different states.

Two BCS Championship appearances in the last four years has certainly helped Auburn on the recruiting front as well.

Head coach Gus Malzahn reeled together one of the nation's top 10 classes, but with more local flavor than Alabama's. The Tigers signed 23 players from five different states, including 10 from the nearby state of Georgia.

In 2013, the Tide signed 26 players from 13 states. The Tigers signed 24 players from 10 states, two months after Malzahn replaced Gene Chizik as head coach.

Recruiting never ends, so only time will tell where the trail will go as Saban and Malzahn shift their focus to the top 2015 prospects.

The full list of 2014 signees for both schools can be found below. Note: All players are listed in the last state they played in, including junior college players and transfers.